My friend Paloma invited me to be the first guest on her “Five Songs” podcast and I chose five songs that remind me of Cory. It’s essentially the story of when Rachel Met Cory and the music and memories are really lovely until…well…sorry about the Christopher Cross.

I only come into the SNR office about twice a week. Last Wednesday when I arrived, workers had already started stringing pretty, twinkling Christmas lights for the ice rink that’s scheduled to go in on the streets between the News & Review HQ and the MARRS building on Nov. 20th.

I walked up to the building this week to find that they’ve already bordered off the rink and are now doing other construction-y type things to get it ready.

Next thing I know I’ll be hearing “White Christmas” floating through the trees and the sound of metal on ice.

I wish I could be more excited about this but as much as I love Christmas music (I know, I’m weird and annoying like that) I’m just not that excited about the ice rink going in here.

Maybe it’s because it’s still 70 degrees and I’m bitter that, save for the falling leaves, it feels more like spring than fall (Yes, I know, I get bitter about weird things).

Or maybe it’s just that I’m quickly becoming a cranky old lady, annoyed that All. Those. People. will be in my way as I walk to work.

Either way I just need to take a deep breath and chill the hell out already because it’s an ice rink! With pretty lights! And Christmas music!

Actually, now that I think about it, if they’d up the ante and rustle up some fake snow and cold weather, I’d be in, 100 percent.

My latest SNR column takes on CNN and the Balloon Boy hoax. I didn’t really have the space to make the case for how I believe Anderson Cooper isn’t (typically) guilty of these criticisms. He’s smart, funny and, most important cute can employ sharp critical thinking skills on the fly.

Yes, he can sometimes fall prey to the nasty “we’ll have to end it right there” habit of not giving a story (or the facts) its due, but he’s still my boo.

Don’t believe me? I own an Anderson Cooper t-shirt. It’s actually a half-shirt. Someday I just may wear it.